Chapter 22 Chapter 22
Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Uncle Bai quickly spoke up to mediate, "Mom and Dad, why are you arguing? If you continue arguing, the people in the town will leave."
Grandpa Bai focused his gaze on him and asked aggressively, "Bai Changqing, do you think so too?"
Uncle Bai gave a bitter smile and said, "Dad, how can you say that? Without you and Mom's help, our family wouldn't be as well off as it is now. You can do with our things as you please."
After listening to this, Grandpa Bai looked at Grandma Bai again.
Grandma Bai simply ignored Grandpa Bai and focused on packing her things.
Although he had won, Grandpa Bai wasn't very happy. He held his breath and shoveled the grain. He swung the shovel hard, leaving a shadow. The grain dust in the granary flew out, choking people and making them cover their mouths.
"Grandpa, please stop. We won't sell the millet or meat." Bai He suddenly said, leaving several people stunned. They looked at Bai He in surprise.
"Why not sell it?" Uncle Bai asked in confusion. He might never see such a good price again.
"Will there be insufficient food in the future?" Bai He's answer left the others even more baffled. Since Academician Yuan's rice improvements, Sheshui Village now produces over a thousand to several hundred kilograms per mu. And thanks to Uncle Bai's extensive agricultural machinery, the Bai family has contracted over twenty mu of paddy fields. As a result, the Bai family not only has enough food to eat each year, but also sells a good portion.
The Bai family thought that Bai He had been away from home for a long time and didn't know the current grain reserves at home, so they carefully explained to him, "Don't worry, Tangyuan, the grain we are selling is all from last year. The grain we harvested this year is still in the warehouse, enough for our family to eat for two to three years."
Unexpectedly, Bai He still shook his head firmly.
"I mentioned before that one of my clients works at the Meteorological Bureau. They predicted not only a rainstorm, but also significant future climate change. The country has already begun disaster preparedness. Just wait and see. Government or military personnel will surely arrive to purchase food."
The Bai family members were half-believing and half-doubting, and were very conflicted.
Bai He knew that it was too much for his family to miss such an opportunity to earn a year's living expenses just because of his few words. Even if they agreed in the end, it was out of consideration for his feelings.
"If you really want to sell it, then sell it to the army." At least the army's food will actually be used by those in need.
No one objected to this suggestion. Grandpa Bai and Uncle Bai even agreed wholeheartedly, both of them having military ties. It wouldn't matter if I bought it for them or gave it to them.
However, Bai He's words still had some impact on Grandma Bai and her aunt. They had both experienced the hardship of starvation and were highly aware of potential dangers. They usually stocked up on long-lasting dried vegetables and cured meats. Now, the two of them, in tacit agreement, put some of their belongings away.
At this moment, Bai He remembered something and said to Uncle Bai, "Uncle, please remind the villagers. We don't know what the situation will be like after the epidemic. Don't be blinded by money and sell all your food."
Few people aren't tempted by money, let alone the people of Sheshui Village, most of whom earn their money through hard work. Now that their own food is worth several years' worth of income, it's hard not to be dazzled.
"It's indeed time to remind the villagers. I'll go find the village chief later." As a party member and village cadre, Uncle Bai is very people-conscious.
The village square was busier than during Chinese New Year, with most of the villagers gathered there. Since online payments were unavailable and cash was scarce, it felt more like a trading market, with residents bringing gold chains, bracelets, cell phones, computers, and other items as exchange items.
The stalls in the square were spartan, mostly consisting of a folding table or the trunk of a car. Near the front of the square, a crowd of young people gathered. This stall displayed numerous branded mobile phones and computers, which would cost thousands or even tens of thousands of yuan each. For rural children, these were the luxuries they coveted most; having one at school was a real show of respect.
The man who was enthusiastically selling his products at the stall was a familiar figure to most people in the village. He was the owner of the longest-running mobile phone store in town. Almost everyone in the village had bought a phone from him.
"Everyone, come and see. This is the latest model of Pineapple Phone. Normally, we sell it for over 8,000 in our store, but now 550 kilograms of food is enough."
"If there's not enough food, you can use homemade cured fish and meat as a substitute."
"If I hadn't run out of food at home, I wouldn't have done this. This time I only brought ten mobile phones and computers. First come, first served. If you miss out, they'll be gone."
Hunger marketing is a tried-and-true tactic. The young people and students around here can't help but be tempted by it. Normally, 8,000 yuan is a month or two's salary for their parents, and they won't buy anything even if their parents are broke. Now, they only need over 500 kilograms of rice. So much hope!
Many people's eyes lit up. Those with their parents nearby held hands and begged. Those without parents ran out anxiously, fearing that they would be too late to buy it.
Strike while the iron is hot, the boss picked up his phone and demonstrated its features, and the children around him laughed even more cheerfully. Due to the national policy of eugenics and good parenting, every family almost has only one or two children. The children are the treasures of the family, and their parents and grandparents can only pamper and love them.
A father nearby softened his expression at his son's pleading and was the first to step out of the circle and walk into the stall.
Although he couldn't understand why a mobile phone cost more than 8,000 yuan, it was obvious that those mobile phones that cost a few hundred or a thousand yuan had similar functions to it and were not fancy.
But Xia Guo-style parents are like this. They are reluctant to eat and use things themselves, but they want to provide the best conditions for their children.
The boss was also smart. When he saw the father approaching, he immediately put the phone in the child's hand and let him try it out.
The child was holding the mobile phone with a smile on his face like a flower, and his eyes were full of love.
"I like it so much," the father beside him patted his son's head and smiled.
"I like it." His son was almost as tall as him, and his eyes showed his undisguised love.
"Dad, my current phone is your second-hand one. You've been using it for three years, and I've been using it for two. It's still stuck. If you just buy me this pineapple-shaped phone, I promise I'll be in the top ten in my class this semester."
The child's solemn promise is a fire in his father's heart, and the boss's words are the fuel to fuel the fire.
"Brother, if your child had a phone like this, other students would definitely envy him at school."
This sentence completely made the man grit his teeth and make up his mind. He knew that some city kids looked down on rural kids. His child was lively at home but sullen at school, walking with his head down and feeling inferior in front of his classmates. As a parent, he was extremely worried. Usually, he would not spend thousands of yuan on things, but now a few hundred kilograms of rice was not difficult for the family.
"Okay, leave me a white one and I'll go home to get some rice."
"Okay. I'll keep it for this student." The boss smiled and wrapped the phone in its box and put it away. Seeing the first one succeed, the other children and young people became even more anxious.
This is just a scene in the square.
The most prosperous business is at the cash-only stalls. For most people, money is the most valuable asset, and they can buy anything with it.
Bai He arrived with plenty of quilts. He spotted a stall displaying a variety of quilts: cotton, down, silk... He bought four, and Grandma Bai, who came with him, bought eight. The reason for the large purchases was, firstly, that the quilts at this stall were truly high-quality, made from solid, high-quality materials. Secondly, it was to prepare for Bai Yu. A girl's wedding dowry is always accompanied by a quilt, and good materials are hard to come by, so families with daughters might start preparing for her as soon as she comes of age. A solid silk quilt like this one would cost over a thousand yuan.
The merchants who showed up on the first day after the rain stopped were either desperate for food or very resourceful. Most of them brought valuables for exchange.
…
As evening approached, the troops arrived as Bai He had said, led by Bai Duan. They drove a large green truck and stopped at the door of the Bai family's house.
Bai Duan's green uniform was still stained with mud, clearly having just returned from a mission. He looked tired, but his face was filled with joy. He swiftly jumped out of the trunk, pointed, and shouted, "Look who's back!"
"Bai Yu" followed by the car lights, and everyone looked at the girl who poked her head out from inside in surprise.
"Everyone, I'm back. I'm sorry to have worried you." Bai Yu looked a little thin, but his eyes were bright and he looked quite energetic. This made the parents who had been worried about him feel relieved.
She carefully stretched her feet out of the car and tried to get off. Just when she was halfway there, a pair of hands helped her down steadily to the ground.
"I haven't heard from you in so many days. I've been so worried." Immediately after landing, before she could even catch her breath, an anxious Chen Zhen rushed over, trying to hug her daughter. But then, a sudden change occurred. Bai He grabbed a bottle of disinfectant and sprayed it at her. The sudden spray blinded Bai Yu. Aunt Bai and Grandma Bai were also momentarily stunned. The boy behind Bai Yu frantically reached out to pull her back, but his father stopped him.
"Bai He, this is how you welcome me." Bai Yu wiped her wet face and looked at him speechlessly.
"Disinfection" is simple and concise.
The other members of the Bai family also recovered and echoed, "Bai He did the right thing. Epidemic prevention is paramount. We can't let you bring the virus home from outside."
"Don't worry, I know how serious the virus is. I have already disinfected the site and conducted tests before coming here." Bai Yu rolled his eyes.
"That's good!" Bai He put the things back naturally and took a few steps back.
Chen Zhen hugged Bai Yu again, and Grandma Bai also held her hand from the side. The Bai family only has these few children, and each one of them is their treasure.
Bai Yu patted his mother's back and said casually, "What could possibly happen in Xia Country? I was just trapped by the heavy rain. Look at the dark circles under your eyes. You worry about me all the time."
"You are such a heartless girl." The aunt patted her daughter in annoyance.
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